BajaNomad

Passport Card

huesos - 10-26-2013 at 05:45 PM

What is a Passport Card that makes crossing the border easier? How does one apply for this card?

bajagrouper - 10-26-2013 at 05:53 PM

Go to the state dept. website and all will be explained.......

wornout - 10-26-2013 at 08:01 PM

Quote:
Originally posted by huesos
What is a Passport Card that makes crossing the border easier? How does one apply for this card?


In addition to the post above as to where you get one, if you have a passport it use to cost $20 for the card, at least it did when we got ours in 2008 and they are good for 10 years.

The reason they make border crossing easier is you can use the Ready Lane with one because they are digital. Some state drivers license are digital and will work for that lane also.

vandy - 10-26-2013 at 10:57 PM

Don't try to fly home with it!
I was told the cards are only for terrestrial crossings, and had to show my real passport to get on Virgin America.

tjsue - 10-27-2013 at 11:06 AM

They're for ground and sea travel only. If you fly, a regular passport is required.

BajaBlanca - 10-27-2013 at 11:59 AM

We got ours recently, easy to apply and the only odd factor was having to send pur passports along to get them!

The card and passport was mailed back separatey.

The new photo I also used for the card was STAPLED into my passport. Go figure.

willardguy - 10-27-2013 at 12:31 PM

Quote:
Originally posted by huesos
What is a Passport Card that makes crossing the border easier? How does one apply for this card?
as we speak, the san ysidro ready lane is only 13 minutes faster than the standard lanes. that and the ridiculous route to the ready lane ( which takes longer than 13 minutes) makes one wonder if its worth the effort. but it is handy to just carry a card in your wallet!

ready lane 45min (23min reported)
std lane 60min (36min reported)

guess most folks are watching the cowboys?

sancho - 10-27-2013 at 12:48 PM

Quote:
Originally posted by BajaBlanca
The new photo I also used for the card was STAPLED into my passport







I assume you sent in 2 new photos for the Passcard, they
used 1, the other you said was stapled into your Passport
Book? It wasn't stapled over the existing Passport photo
was it? Just along side where you could remove it?
I think they are $30 with an existing Passport, there seem
to be a lot of drivers that use the ready lanes, there
are a few doc's you can use in the ready lane, I think
it has lost some of it's advantage, but still better than
without it

dasubergeek - 10-28-2013 at 11:53 AM

Quote:
Originally posted by willardguy
Quote:
Originally posted by huesos
What is a Passport Card that makes crossing the border easier? How does one apply for this card?
as we speak, the san ysidro ready lane is only 13 minutes faster than the standard lanes. that and the ridiculous route to the ready lane ( which takes longer than 13 minutes) makes one wonder if its worth the effort. but it is handy to just carry a card in your wallet!

ready lane 45min (23min reported)
std lane 60min (36min reported)

guess most folks are watching the cowboys?


Yesterday was a light day in general. We crossed at SY at 0815 and spent 10 minutes waiting in the general lanes (had a lady with us with a passport book who couldn't walk the whole way). Of course, then we got sent to secondary because our friendly "face of the nation" border patrol agent couldn't tell the difference between wine and olive oil, and also yelled at us about an "excess of cheese". (The secondary folks did their usual knocking around the car thing, then spent 5 minutes typing into the computer, then handed us back our cards and passports and sent us on our way, with no mention of excess anything.)

bryanmckenzie - 10-28-2013 at 01:50 PM

SIDE NOTE on passport cards & RFID chips

A few days ago I entered a county courthouse and waited a moment at the usual metal detector screening checkpoint. Passed everything metal around the side, as normal --- and I still set the darn thing off. Pulled aside and was wanded and my wallet chirped! Showed my wallet and was waved on.

Guess what? The RFID chip sets off metal detectors. :mad:

And gawd only knows what else it is broadcasting once activated. It's SCARY, yet fascinating, technology. And before I purchased my RFID screening wallet, I wound up spending 4 (!) hours on the Internet reading up of this stuff because I wanted to understand what I was buying, why it works and all the industries, countries and places and frequencies, blah, blah, blah that have implemented scanning technologies.

My sentiments are back to SCARY. :O

dasubergeek - 10-29-2013 at 04:54 PM

It transmits the passport card number. That's all. RFID readers are cheap.

I've never had mine set off a metal detector. Did you have it in the protective sleeve?

bryanmckenzie - 10-30-2013 at 10:40 AM

Exactly, it's simply an ID#. But then the equipment takes that number, logs into some database(s) somewhere and pulls up some information on the monitor for those individuals to evaluate.

Yes, it was in a sleeve. And the standard metal detector is what makes it so weird. That was the only thing to set it off. No metal belt buckle, no coins, etc.

On this trip, I have both the passport and passcard in a moderately expensive holder that blocks RFID. I didn't want a cheap one and some are simply over-the-top as far as pricing.
Quote:
Originally posted by dasubergeek
It transmits the passport card number. That's all. RFID readers are cheap.

I've never had mine set off a metal detector. Did you have it in the protective sleeve?


[Edited on 2013-10-30 by bryanmckenzie]

willardguy - 10-30-2013 at 11:51 AM

isnt it the metal in the protective sleeve that trips the metal detector? :?:

bryanmckenzie - 10-30-2013 at 11:54 AM

Hmmm. The sleeve is small and paper. I've been told the metal is a mesh of copper and aluminum. So not sure. It came from Feds with card. I may trash that and stick with my larger commercial one that I understand.
Quote:
Originally posted by willardguy
isnt it the metal in the protective sleeve that trips the metal detector? :?:

Cisco - 10-30-2013 at 12:08 PM

Quote:
Originally posted by willardguy
Quote:
Originally posted by huesos
What is a Passport Card that makes crossing the border easier? How does one apply for this card?
as we speak, the san ysidro ready lane is only 13 minutes faster than the standard lanes. that and the ridiculous route to the ready lane ( which takes longer than 13 minutes) makes one wonder if its worth the effort. but it is handy to just carry a card in your wallet!

ready lane 45min (23min reported)
std lane 60min (36min reported)

guess most folks are watching the cowboys?



Ready lane four minutes last Thursday at 10:20 in the evening. I was the third vehicle in line when I pulled up.

Declared a bottle of homemade wine and the inspector wished me a good evening.